Lisbon looking to build a virtual merger

LISBON – In an effort to foster educational opportunities without increasing the schools financial obligations, Lisbon Central School has begun looking into mutually beneficial web-based cooperatives with other schools.

Stressing that the discussion is in its infancy, Superintendent Erin E. Woods said she met with the administration at Madrid-Waddington Central School to work on establishing an online webinar service between the schools. Its not a done deal, she said.

We would use existing teachers; we already have the technology, Marc A. Montroy, member of the Lisbon Board of Education, said.

Lisbon contracts with St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES to provide a distance learning center at the school to the tune of $43,000 a year.

Its being used mostly for college classes, Mr. Montroy said.

But the Board of Education and the school administration is looking for other ways to utilize the room as well.

We can be using it for webinars, for AP classes, Blake P. Gendebien, president of the Lisbon Board of Education, said.

Its like a virtual merger, Mr. Montroy said. You get some of those opportunities back for smaller schools. We would use existing teachers, we already have the technology.

And Mr. Gendebien said the beauty of a web-based sharing of services is it doesnt matter where the teacher is located.

In order to begin, however, schools would have to match up their schedules to ensure students are able to meet with teachers.

It seems cheaper to me to manipulate schedules than to merge high schools, Mr. Gendebien said, noting that the schedule at Madrid-Waddington is only one minute different than the one at Lisbon.